So sleepy... (Read 1023 times)

Am I the only one who has found that returning to running (or just starting) really makes you sleepy or need more sleep than normal? Before I started back to running I could comfortably get by on 7 hours, but now I NEED 8-9 (which often means my 5 year old is getting up with the birds and into mischief as I am too sleepy to wake when he does). I assume this is normal as my body is repairing and acclimating to increasing mileage...?
k

'15 Goals:

Could be just the body's reaction. I am no nutrition expert, but you definitely want to pay attention to diet and hydration as well. I think if these are out of balance, you can lose "quality" of sleep. The double whammy could be that your running is taxing your body, and lack of good hydration of the proper fuel causing you to get less rest on more hours in the sack!
Don't lose heart! You're doing great.
Again, just my $.02...(hey there goes that 2 cent deal again...)
Lynn B

""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)

LB, I love your 2¢!!!
You know, that hydration thing could really be a factor, now that I think about it. I haven't been peeing as much as I would expect and I know that dehydration can make a person sleepy and headachey. I haven't had headaches, but that would definitely be a reasonable explanation for the sleep thing. Though I do feel pretty good during the day, I just can't get myself out of bed at a reasonable hour (doesn't help that I am a night owl, either).
I'm going to make a point to really get more water in and see if that helps, any.
Thanks for the suggestion--sometimes it's the simple stuff right under our noses that we miss!
k

'15 Goals:

Independent of anything else (e.g., hydration, nutrition, etc), increasing miles will increase your body's need for sleep. Running more makes you more tired. Overtraining, however, gives you insomnia. So you walk a balance. Run well, sleep hard.

Hmmm...I did just go from 3 runs/week to 4. But I have noticed the dragging-my-butt out of bed for the last couple of weeks...I have been gradually increasing my mileage all along, though. Maybe I just hit some threshold.
k

'15 Goals:

Independent of anything else (e.g., hydration, nutrition, etc), increasing miles will increase your body's need for sleep. Running more makes you more tired. Overtraining, however, gives you insomnia. So you walk a balance. Run well, sleep hard.

Overtraining & menopause give you insomnia!! That is just a thought from the queen of the hot flashing insomniacs!!! Did everyone know that there is an island called Menopausia...and I AM there queen, by the way!
But seriously, when I increased my mileage, I did notice a need for some extra sleep, which is an almost impossible task for me. Could be the menopause, could be the hubby's alarm clock which starts at 4am & only seems to wake ME up... But I have noticed that if I run early in the morning, no matter the distance, it does 2 things for me: 1. I get a great runners high & am hyper & productice all day & 2. I tend to sleep better at night.
I know that having my favorite nephew at home makes running in the early a.m. almost impossible, however. Of course, if you'd just sell that darn house & move closer to me, it would all be fine.
But the Little Blondie seemed to enjoy riding his bike w/ Daddy, why not have him ride while you run? If you do it early a.m., it won't be as hot. You may be limited in distance for a while, until he gets used to it, but run whatever he can ride & if you want to run more, do it again in the evening.
Just my $.02. Of course, you get what you pay for!!
P.S. The boys went to work w/ Dan today & as soon as my lazy daughter gets her fanny out of bed, she is hopping on her little, pink bike to chase me on a 5K!! My wings are on my shoes today, watch out folks!!!
Ok, so maybe there are no wings & maybe noone is in danger of losing a virtual t-shirt to me, but...

I know that having my favorite nephew at home makes running in the early a.m. almost impossible, however. Of course, if you'd just sell that darn house & move closer to me, it would all be fine.
But the Little Blondie seemed to enjoy riding his bike w/ Daddy, why not have him ride while you run? If you do it early a.m., it won't be as hot. You may be limited in distance for a while, until he gets used to it, but run whatever he can ride & if you want to run more, do it again in the evening.
Just my $.02. Of course, you get what you pay for!!

Hey, I should add up all the 2¢ I have been given in the past week--I'll bet I could buy a beer with it!
No way could I live near you, girl...I'd miss living near Lake MI. You know with the exception of my first year of college and my semester abroad that I have never lived more than 10 minutes from that body of water--and on both sides, too.
I do want to take Dane along with me sometime. He has gone as far as 2 miles on his little bike (he still has training wheels). I could probably talk him into doing a 3 miler with me sometime. Too bad we don't have a second bike, 'cause when my nephew is here next week that would be really fun--take both boys out on the path while I run.
k

'15 Goals:

Huh, so I was just reading this through along with a few others, cause I'm new to the site, and to running. And I found that in my first two weeks of my 'beginners running' program, I was SUPER-sleepy. My issue was on the front end tho. I was going to bed around 9pm - I just couldn't stay awake... It seems to be getting a little better now.
Then again, I also gave up caffeine about the same time I started running. How dumb was that???
Kimmer

Ack! I'm just too sleepy to read through all the replies. I just want to add that I wish I had the TIME TO RUN to make me sleepy, instead of all the overtime I've put in since last Friday. Ummmm, let's see, I worked overnight Fri into saturday (22 straight hours), then 12 hours OT on Sunday. 6 OT monday, 5 Tues, 4 yesterday... Hmmm, I see a pattern. Yahoo! if this keeps up, I'll have time to run again!
Please forgive my rampling. Am operating on extreme sleep deprivation...